The Nigeria Football Federation never tired of apologising to Nigerians and President Tinubu over every failure, has once again fallen back on the common song they know how to sing best, apologise for another avoidable failure in Morocco.
The least football loving Nigerians expected from the NFF after the heartbreaking news of not making it to the 2026 mundial in June and the attendant apologies, was failing to book a direct world cup ticket by the Super Falcons or even defending the WAFCON title.
Having failed for the umpteenth time, the President of Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Gusau, on behalf of the NFF Executive Committee, the Super Falcons and the entire Nigerian football family, has expressed their deepest regrets, and sincere apologies to Nigerians following the Super Falcons’ failure to secure a direct qualification ticket to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup at the ongoing 14th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
In a statement made available to VDCInsights, the Federation said “We recognise the disappointment this result has caused millions of Nigerians who passionately support and identify with the Super Falcons. The team went into the competition carrying the hopes of the nation and the enormous goodwill and support of the Federal Government, and we regret that we were unable to deliver the result expected at this stage. We wish to extend a special and heartfelt apology to His Excellency, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic, Bola Tinubu, for this disappointment.”
According to Gusau, “Mr. President has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to Nigerian sports and, particularly, to the development and welfare of women in sports. The football family will not forget the unprecedented recognition and rewards extended to the Super Falcons following their previous WAFCON triumph, including substantial financial rewards, national honours, houses and an extraordinary reception”
“His administration has also continued to support and reward excellence across Nigerian football, including the Super Eagles, stressing “These gestures went beyond material rewards; they demonstrated the value Mr. President places on our athletes and his belief in the power of sports to unite and inspire Nigerians.”
Gusau satted “It is therefore with genuine humility and regret that we acknowledge that we have not been able to repay that confidence with the outcome expected at this stage of the competition. We sincerely apologise to Mr. President and deeply appreciate his continued interest, encouragement and investment in Nigerian football. We also apologise to the National Assembly, the National Sports Commission, our sponsors, stakeholders and, most importantly, the millions of Nigerian supporters at home and around the world.”
“To everyone who prayed, encouraged, travelled, watched and stood behind the Super Falcons, we share your disappointment. A window of opportunity remains through the CAF play-off pathway, and the Super Falcons are determined to fight for one of the two available CAF play-off tickets and subsequently pursue qualification through the FIFA play-off tournament.”
He stressed “We must now regroup, learn from this setback and focus completely on the opportunity that remains. The NFF, technical team and players are committed to doing everything within their power to secure Nigeria’s place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.”
The NFF President said “We owe this commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to the Nigerian people, to the generations of Super Falcons who built this great legacy and, most importantly, to the young Nigerian girls who dream of representing their country on the world stage. The NFF will also undertake an honest assessment of our preparation, technical planning, logistics and overall operations, with a determination to identify areas requiring improvement and ensure that the team is better prepared for the challenges ahead.’
He however assured “We hear the disappointment of Nigerians, we share it and we accept our responsibility. But we are not giving up.Our resolve is to ensure that the Super Falcons return stronger, fight harder and do everything possible to make Mr. President, the Federal Government and Nigerians proud once again. We sincerely thank Nigerians for their unwavering support and urge everyone to continue to stand with the Super Falcons as we pursue the remaining route to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.”
